Fire-escape.



No. 722,648. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903. I

F. D. WOOD & W. A. ROYSE. FIRE ESCAPE No. 722,648. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903. F.- n. WOOD & w. A. ROYSEI.

' FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED D120. 18. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

d W w f. m

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

FREDERICK D. WOOD AND WILLIAM A. ROYS E, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY; SAID ROYSE ASSIGNOR TOSAID WOOD.

FIRED-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,648, dated March 10, 1903.

Application filed December 18, 1902, Qerial No. 135,780. (No model.)

To 60% whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK D. WOOD and WILLIAM A. ROYSE,eltizens of the United States, and residents of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky,

have made a certain new and useful Invention in Fire-Escapes; and we declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, such as will enable others to skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the casing a and adjacent parts. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view illuszo trating the means for adjusting the brake.

The invention relates to fire-escapes; and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the letter Cb designates a casing or box about six inches square, to which is attached a belt 1), whereby the box is secured to the person. In the box is a frame 0, having a division-plate d, whereby the cable portion is separated from the governor portion. This division-pl ate serves to provide bearin gs for the shafts and journals of the mechanism.

The spool or reel e for the rope or cable f is attached to a strong shaft g, the journals 3 5 of which are pivoted, respectively, in the framework and in the division-plate. On the same shaft is the large gear-wheel n, this wheel being, however, loose on the shaft, but having a pawl 70, which engages a ratchet-wheel Z on said shaft, so that when the shaft is turned in one direction for winding the cable on the spool the gearing will remain still, and when the spool is turned by the unwinding of the cable the gearing will be operated, the

ratchet thus being engaged by the pawl.

A small gear-wheel m is pivoted to the division-plate and engages the large gear-wheel h. On the same shaft with the small gearwheel m is a large gear-wheel n, which en gages a small gear-wheel 10 on the fan-shaft s, which extends through the division-plate into the fan portion of the casing and is provided with wings or valves 7.

In the governor portion of the casing next the division-plate and on the shaft of the fan is provided a cylinder-wheel 25, against which works a spring 12, forming a brake, which is adjusted, by means of a set-screw w, to bear with greater orless tension against this brakewheel 25, according to requirement. The object of the brake is to stop or regulate the motion.

The end of the cable is designed to be attached to a fixed screw eye or catch in the window-framing, preferably the sill, or the cross-bar at the top of the window.

In using the device the belt is securely buckled around the person just under the arms, and when the user lets himself loose from the window the governing devices will regulate the unwinding of the cable, so that the descent will be made in a gradual manner. The system of gearing is slow for the cable and fast for the fan, the initial or cable gear being of large diameter and the fan-gear being small, these engaging, respectively, large and small gears of the intermediate shaft, whereby they are connected in train, with the object in view of putting the cablespool under the control of the fan and brake.

Having described this invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

A fire-escape comprising a belt-casing, having a frame and division-plate, carrying on one side of said plate a cable-spool, attached to a shaft carrying a large gear-wheel engaging said shaft by ratchet-and-pawl connections, a small gear-wheel on the fan-shaft, and an intermediate shaft carrying a large gear-wheel engaging said small gear-wheel, and a small gear-wheel which engages the gear-wheel of the cable, and on the other side of the division-plate, the fan and fan-shaft, and an adjustable spring-brake, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

F. D. WOOD.

his W. A. X ROYSE.

mark

Witnesses:

EDWIN S. HORNE, ELIZABETH O. HORNE. 

